wireless WAN - technical definition

A wide area network (WAN) for data that is typically provided by the cellular carriers. Also called "wireless broadband" or "broadband wireless," wireless WANs (WWANs) use cellular towers to transmit a wireless signal over a range of several miles to a mobile device. Contrast with wireless Wi-Fi LANs (WLANs), which span only a few hundred feet to stationary and slow-moving devices rather than units in vehicles moving at high speed.

In the U.S., the EDGE and EV-DO technologies are used by cellular carriers to provide wireless communications to cellphones, laptops and PDAs. See wireless broadband, wireless LAN, cellular generations and WAN.